Faith Perspectives: What are the qualities of God?

God is not a mere idea or a figment of men and women’s imagination. God is an objective reality. God exists. “I AM WHO I AM.” (Exodus 3:14) The “I AM” is an absolute and supreme being.

God is not visible, physical or tangible. God is a spirit. (John 4:24) God is not simply an acting force in nature or merely the living principle in humans, animals or plants.

God is a personal being. This personal being spoke to Moses and said “I AM WHO I AM.” God created all things. (Colossians 1:16) God was not formed out of something that was before him. God is and subsists of and by himself.

God is one. (Isaiah 45:5) We are therefore to worship and honor only the Lord God. (I Corinthians 8:4, Exodus 20:3, Matthew 4:10)

God is unchangeable in his nature and will. (Malachi 3:6) There can be no change with improvement or deterioration or growth or decline. There is no change in any way for God. His judgments and promises stand. This is a comfort and a warning for us.

God is infinite. (I Kings 8:27) He is not confined by space. He is omnipresent. (Jeremiah 23:24, Psalm 139:7-12) God is not confined to a certain locality. He is present in all places at the same time. The whole God is present everywhere at the same time. We cannot hide or escape from God’s presence. This is a warning to us (Genesis 17:1) and a comfort (Isaiah 41:10, Psalm 23:4).

God is eternal. God is not limited by time. (Psalm 90:2) God is timeless. With God there is neither past nor future but one everlasting presence. (Psalm 2:7) The eternity of God is incomprehensible to us. Eternal means that God had no beginning or end. God was always there even before he created all things.

God is a living, rational and active being. God is not dead or something lifeless. (Jeremiah 10:10, John 5:26) God purposes and plans his activities and carries them out. (Isaiah 46:10, 11) God is constantly active in preserving and governing the world. (John 5:17, Acts 17:28) This is a warning to all unbelievers (Hebrews 10:31) but a comfort to Christians (I Timothy 4:10).

God has a perfect knowledge of all things. (I Samuel 2:3, I John 3:20) God is omniscient. It is a warning to know that we cannot hide anything from God. (Proverbs 28:13) It is also a comfort to realize that God knows our sorrows and troubles and is ready to help us. (Isaiah 66:2)

God is wise in his actions. (Job 12:13) God knows in every situation what to do and how to do it to attain his purposes. (Isaiah 46:10, 11) The wisdom of God is evident in the works of nature (Psalm 104:24) and the work of paying for our sins and our salvation (I Corinthians 2:6, 7). The wisdom of God far surpasses the understanding of humans. (Romans 11:33) The Lord God knows the best actions to take whether it brings joy or sorrow.

God has no sin. God is holy. (Isaiah 6:3, Exodus 15:11) God is righteous. (Psalm 92:15) The holiness of God denotes a complete lack of sin and opposition to it. (Leviticus 19:2, Psalm 5:4) Our righteousness or holiness before God does not come by our actions or deeds but by faith in Jesus Christ. (Romans 3:21, 22)

God is all powerful. God is omnipotent. He can do whatever he pleases. (Psalm 115:3) The power of God is infinite and never is exhausted. (Ephesians 3:20)

This God is only the Triune God or Trinity, three persons but one God. The Father is true God. (I Corinthians 8:6) The Son, Jesus Christ, is true God. (I John 5:20, John 5:23) The Holy Spirit is true God. (Acts 5:3, 4; I Corinthians 3:16) Honor God!